US4519495A - Apparatus for separating and conveying objects - Google Patents

Apparatus for separating and conveying objects Download PDF

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Publication number
US4519495A
US4519495A US06/375,100 US37510082A US4519495A US 4519495 A US4519495 A US 4519495A US 37510082 A US37510082 A US 37510082A US 4519495 A US4519495 A US 4519495A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
conveyor
delivery conveyor
gripper fingers
transporting direction
removal
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related
Application number
US06/375,100
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English (en)
Inventor
Hans-Ulrich Bolli
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft
Original Assignee
Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft filed Critical Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft
Assigned to SIG-SCHWEIZERISCHE INDUSTRIE-GESELLSCHAFT reassignment SIG-SCHWEIZERISCHE INDUSTRIE-GESELLSCHAFT ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: BOLLI, HANS-ULRICH
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US4519495A publication Critical patent/US4519495A/en
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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/52—Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors i.e. discharging or feeding devices
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/74—Feeding, transfer, or discharging devices of particular kinds or types
    • B65G47/90—Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials
    • B65G47/902—Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials provided with drive systems incorporating rotary and rectilinear movements

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an apparatus for separating and conveying substantially rectangular, plate-like objects.
  • the apparatus is of the type that has an endless, stepwise advanced delivery conveyor on which the objects are carried while in a lengthwise contact with one another.
  • the objects are pushed from the delivery conveyor to a continuously advanced removal conveyor which extends at least approximately parallel to the delivery conveyor and which has object carrier members determining the spacing between successive objects on the removal conveyor.
  • the movement of the second conveying member and the movement of the transfer means back over the first conveying member must be synchronized with the movement of the first conveyor member. This is done either in that the first conveying member operates discontinuously, i.e. in steps, or in that the first conveying member is operated continuously but at a considerably slower speed. Even if the second conveying member were able to be operated faster, there would still occur a delay caused by the return movement of the transfer means or by the limited acceleration of the transfer means and/or of the first conveying member.
  • the apparatus has an endless delivery conveyor, a removal conveyor situated adjacent the delivery conveyor and having a transporting direction substantially parallel to the transporting direction of the delivery conveyor; and a fork gripper mechanism for sequentially transferring the objects from the delivery conveyor to the removal conveyor.
  • the fork gripper mechanism includes two rotationally movably mounted gripper fingers arranged for gripping one object at a time on the delivery conveyor and a drive for moving the gripper fingers towards one another to grip an object on the delivery conveyor, for translating the gripper fingers with the object from the delivery conveyor to the removal conveyor at an obtuse angle with the transporting direction so that during the transfer of the object from the delivery conveyor to the removal conveyor the object is displaced by a given distance in the transporting direction, for moving the gripper fingers away from one another to release the object on the removal conveyor, and for lifting the gripper fingers on a return path over the objects on the removal conveyor and on the delivery conveyor.
  • FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a top plan view, partially in section, of the preferred embodiment taken along line II--II of FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 3 is an enlarged front elevational view taken along line III--III of FIG. 2.
  • FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the preferred embodiment taken along line IV--IV of FIG. 3.
  • the illustrated apparatus includes a delivery conveyor 10 with an end roller 12 and a delivery belt 11 on whose upper reach 13 objects 1 are transported in steps from the left to the right in the drawing.
  • a removal conveyor 20 Spaced from delivery conveyor 10 and substantially parallel thereto, there is disposed a removal conveyor 20, including two guide rollers 23, 24, a partially shown conveying chain 21 and equidistantly disposed pusher lugs 22.
  • the objects 1' conveyed thereby are spaced equidistantly.
  • a fork gripper arrangement 30 having two gripper fingers 40, 41 is provided to shift the objects 1 from the delivery conveyor 10 to the removal conveyor 20.
  • the structure and operation of the fork gripper arrangement will be described below.
  • a movable plate 50 is controlled, according to FIGS. 2 and 3, by a push rod 51 and is arranged to be displaceable between two end positions which are shown in FIG. 2 in solid lines and in dashed lines (the latter is designated at 50').
  • a guide element 60 has a first arm 61 which is parallel to the edge of the delivery conveyor 10 and a second arm 62 which forms an obtuse angle with the first arm 61.
  • the second arm 62 traverses the removal conveyor 20, also at the obtuse angle with respect to the conveying direction and has recesses to allow passage of the pusher lugs 22.
  • the guide element 60 serves to guide the objects 1 during transport from the delivery conveyor 10 to the removal conveyor 20 in order to prevent the object from rotating about a vertical axis on the conveyor belt 11 as a result of friction forces.
  • the axis Z in FIG. 2 indicates the direction of displacement of the fork gripper 30.
  • the path d represents the distance travelled by the gripper fingers 40, 41 in the transporting direction of the delivery conveyor 10, and also corresponds to the displacement of the abutment plate 50.
  • the two gripper fingers 40, 41 are fastened rigidly to rotary mounts 44, 45.
  • the rotary mounts 44, 45 are articulated to a push rod 47 by means of axles 48, 49 and are provided with guide rollers 43, 46 which are guided in a longitudinally displaceable manner in the U-shaped recess of a guide rail 42.
  • the guide rail 42 itself is articulated to an actuating rod 31 by means of bell crank levers 32, 33 which are rotatably mounted at their fulcrums on support blocks 35, 38 which are fixed to the machine frame and whose ends 34, 37 are articulated to the actuating rod 31. Their other ends 36, 39 are articulated to the guide rail 42.
  • the push rod 47 produces a back and forth horizontal movement of the fork gripper 30 with its gripper fingers 40, 41.
  • a downward vertical movement caused by rightward movement of actuating rod 31 causes gripper fingers 40, 41 to rotate inwardly and grip the next-in-line object 1 on delivery conveyor 10.
  • Rightward horizontal movement of push rod 47 translates gripper fingers 40, 41 to displace the object to removal conveyor 20 at which point an upward vertical movement caused by a leftward movement of actuating rod 31 causes gripper fingers 40, 41 to rotate outwardly and thus come loose from object 1'.
  • Leftward movement of push rod 47 will then cause gripper fingers 40, 41 to slide over object 1' and the next-in-line object 1 on delivery conveyor 10 where it is in position to move down and grip the next object 1.
  • the drives of the push rod 47 and of the actuating rod 31 on the one hand, and of the abutment plate 50 on the other hand, operate in synchronism and can be realized in a known manner by cam plates and sensing rollers via levers and rods, with the cam plates being seated on a common shaft in order to generate synchronous movement. Since such drives are generally known in the packaging machine art, a detailed description thereof is not provided.
  • the gripper finger 41 at its point of reversal travels over the removal conveyor 20, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 4, first on a circular path A, then on a translatory linear path B and finally on a curved path C.
  • the gripper finger 40 travels, in the reverse sequence, first on a curved path D, then on a linear path E and finally on a circular path F.
  • the push rod 47 thus performs a harmonically oscillating movement and the actuating rod 31 moves in the two end positions of the push rod 47.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Specific Conveyance Elements (AREA)
  • Special Conveying (AREA)
US06/375,100 1981-05-06 1982-05-05 Apparatus for separating and conveying objects Expired - Fee Related US4519495A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CH2945/81 1981-05-06
CH2945/81A CH650219A5 (de) 1981-05-06 1981-05-06 Vorrichtung zum trennen und weiterfoerdern von gegenstaenden.

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US4519495A true US4519495A (en) 1985-05-28

Family

ID=4245166

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US06/375,100 Expired - Fee Related US4519495A (en) 1981-05-06 1982-05-05 Apparatus for separating and conveying objects

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US4519495A (de)
CH (1) CH650219A5 (de)
DE (1) DE3216573A1 (de)
GB (1) GB2097745B (de)
IT (1) IT1155184B (de)
NL (1) NL8201864A (de)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4678074A (en) * 1982-08-17 1987-07-07 Focke And Co. Apparatus for separating objects (packages) from a continuous row of objects
US5370215A (en) * 1993-06-07 1994-12-06 Board Of Regents Univ. Of Nebraska Specimen carrier transfer apparatus for a conveyor system
EP1634827A1 (de) * 2004-09-09 2006-03-15 Quin Systems Limited Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Überbringen von Produkten
CN105292587A (zh) * 2015-09-10 2016-02-03 青岛德隆科技有限公司 一种自动排序机

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB447964A (en) * 1935-12-16 1936-05-28 Sig Schweiz Industrieges Machine for shaping and wrapping prismatic pieces of ice cream and the like in paper and the like
US3166181A (en) * 1962-07-19 1965-01-19 Kimberly Clark Co Transfer device
US3453800A (en) * 1967-07-11 1969-07-08 Kliklok Corp Method and device for packaging pouches with soft contents in folding boxes
GB1254601A (en) * 1968-02-13 1971-11-24 Sig Schweiz Industrieges Method and apparatus for feeding uniformly spaced flat articles to a processing machine
GB1360888A (en) * 1971-10-26 1974-07-24 Package Machinery Co Article feeder for wrapping machine or the like
GB1413970A (en) * 1973-07-18 1975-11-12 Sig Schweiz Industrieges Device for grouping and advancing articles

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB447964A (en) * 1935-12-16 1936-05-28 Sig Schweiz Industrieges Machine for shaping and wrapping prismatic pieces of ice cream and the like in paper and the like
US3166181A (en) * 1962-07-19 1965-01-19 Kimberly Clark Co Transfer device
US3453800A (en) * 1967-07-11 1969-07-08 Kliklok Corp Method and device for packaging pouches with soft contents in folding boxes
GB1254601A (en) * 1968-02-13 1971-11-24 Sig Schweiz Industrieges Method and apparatus for feeding uniformly spaced flat articles to a processing machine
GB1360888A (en) * 1971-10-26 1974-07-24 Package Machinery Co Article feeder for wrapping machine or the like
GB1413970A (en) * 1973-07-18 1975-11-12 Sig Schweiz Industrieges Device for grouping and advancing articles

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4678074A (en) * 1982-08-17 1987-07-07 Focke And Co. Apparatus for separating objects (packages) from a continuous row of objects
US5370215A (en) * 1993-06-07 1994-12-06 Board Of Regents Univ. Of Nebraska Specimen carrier transfer apparatus for a conveyor system
EP1634827A1 (de) * 2004-09-09 2006-03-15 Quin Systems Limited Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Überbringen von Produkten
CN105292587A (zh) * 2015-09-10 2016-02-03 青岛德隆科技有限公司 一种自动排序机
CN105292587B (zh) * 2015-09-10 2017-07-21 青岛德隆科技有限公司 一种自动排序机

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE3216573A1 (de) 1982-12-09
IT8267595A0 (it) 1982-05-06
CH650219A5 (de) 1985-07-15
GB2097745A (en) 1982-11-10
NL8201864A (nl) 1982-12-01
GB2097745B (en) 1984-11-14
IT1155184B (it) 1987-01-21

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AS Assignment

Owner name: SIG-SCHWEIZERISCHE INDUSTRIE-GESELLSCHAFT CH-8212

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:BOLLI, HANS-ULRICH;REEL/FRAME:004055/0892

Effective date: 19820422

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Free format text: PAYOR NUMBER ASSIGNED (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: ASPN); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY

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Year of fee payment: 4

LAPS Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees
FP Lapsed due to failure to pay maintenance fee

Effective date: 19930530

STCH Information on status: patent discontinuation

Free format text: PATENT EXPIRED DUE TO NONPAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEES UNDER 37 CFR 1.362